Kiss Me At Midnight
by that drama queen
Summary: The Brennan boys are throwing a joint party and Alex Strong's the main attraction! She attracts River Pierce, who then attracts everyone else...but once she's there, will she be able to attract the one person that matters?


**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own Radio Free Roscoe or any of its characters except for Alexandra (Alex) Strong. I don't own the song Kiss Me At Midnight by NSYNC. I also don't own the Canadian show 15/Love or any of its characters.

**_Author's Note:_** It's a late New Year's Eve party fic…the RFR gang are sophomores and Alex is a junior. Pairings are…not telling! Read the fic. Thanks to **NaTHaNLuVSMeH **and **MissDelight** for helping me out. There are references to a show called 15/Love, which airs on YTV, so yeah, if you're Canadian, you'll recognize the references, if not, then you don't know what you're missing!

_**Kiss Me At Midnight**_

The Brennan household was bustling with activity. Tim and Ray were having one big party with all their friends in the same house. The cool jocks were going to be in the same house together, partying and ringing in the New Year. Fortunately, Alex Strong's presence in the guest list secured River Pierce's attendance and basically sealed the deal for the joint party. Once a party got River's approval, it became the place to be.

Everyone who was anyone at Roscoe High knew that River Pierce and Alex Strong were the best mixed doubles team the school had ever seen. After one season together, they had managed to secure the mixed doubles regional title and they brought the Cougar Tennis Team to #3 in the regional rankings. That season, Alex was also named Rookie Of The Year and was accepted into the prestigious Cascadia Tennis Academy. Thankfully, she managed to secure a couple of weeks off to visit and spend the holidays in Roscoe.

Tim was finishing up the video game setup in the basement when Ray went up to his room to get ready. Before he could decide on what to wear, a light outside his window caught his eye. He walked over to his window and quickly found its source. Alex's bedroom. He thought back to the previous New Year's Eve when she had gathered a few friends and announced that she was transferring to Cascadia for the second semester. Her words just kept playing and replaying in his head.

_I got the letter. I'm IN!!! They've accepted me for the spring term. I'm leaving next week!!!_

Alex's tennis teammates had jumped up and surrounded her in a group hug while he had hung back with Robbie, Lily and Travis. He remembered feeling numb, torn between being happy for his friend and sad that she was leaving him behind. With a sigh, he tore himself away from his window and began his quest for the perfect outfit.

---

Alex pulled her blonde hair into a high ponytail and checked herself out in the mirror. She was wearing a simple black tube top and a red skirt with her black boots that went up to her knees. She figured the outfit looked good. She had to look good…Tim was counting on her to attract his friends to the party. She was the only one who could fit in with both groups: the popular clique with the jocks and the cheerleaders and the group of average freshmen. She had connections to both groups.

She quickly glanced outside her window and watched for a moment as Ray scrambled to get ready in his room. She laughed. The year before, she found that Ray's room was a constant source of amusement. It was quite entertaining to watch her best friend sometimes.

After she had grown tired of looking at Ray's bedroom window, she looked around at her attic bedroom. It seemed so bare. Half of her closet was empty and her bulletin board was missing a bunch of pictures that were hanging in her dorm room at Cascadia. The one picture she kept in her room was a framed group picture on her bedside table. Lily, Travis, Robbie, Ray and her…she picked up the picture and sighed. Lily was sitting on Ray's lap and she was sitting between Ray and Robbie while Travis was standing behind them with his hand on her shoulder. With a sad smile, she put the picture where it had been earlier.

So much had changed after she left. Lily and Ray had started going out shortly after she left and she spent more time talking to Robbie online than she did while she was still in Roscoe. She had a hard time getting past his choice of girlfriend…until Robbie had told her that Kim had taken off after her parents' divorce over the summer. Bridget's move to Roscoe and her reunion with Travis was something else that was new. Changes were good…but sometimes, going back to something familiar was comforting, especially during the holiday season when family was a big thing for her.

---

Travis was in his room, getting ready as well. He took a bit less time than Alex to get ready. He had already fixed his hair and was looking at a couple of pictures that he had taken hanging up on his bulletin board.

_Ray and Lily…they hadn't been a couple yet when I took the picture but I knew they'd get it together eventually._

_Robbie and Alex…if only they knew how perfect they were for each other!_

Soon, he took off to pick up Bridget. He needed to reassure her that she didn't need to be nervous around Alex.

---

Moving to Roscoe was the best decision Bridget had ever made. She had regretted going back to Hong Kong with her mother and figured that moving in with her father would work best. She got reacquainted with Travis. She even gained new friends in Lily, Ray and Robbie. She was a bit nervous though since Ray's party was going to be the first time she would be face to face with Travis' favorite cousin Alex. From what Travis had said to her, they were close and had a sibling-like relationship. They were also fiercely protective of each other. She hoped to gain the tennis playing Strong's approval somehow.

She had just finished getting ready when the doorbell rang.

_It must be Travis…well, here it goes!_

---

Robbie was walking to Ray's house to help him set up. He needed something to help him get his mind off of Alex. He had been thinking of her constantly ever since she left for that tennis academy. And now... she's back. Half of him wanted to see her while the other half was full of questions. Except for the occasional IM or email, he knew nothing about her new life.

_What if she changed? What if she doesn't want to be in Roscoe at all? What if her parents made her come, and she really doesn't like it here? What if she made so many new friends that she forgot about me? What if she doesn't remember me? What if she thinks her friends at Cascadia Tennis Academy are better then all of us? What if she's meaner? What if she's snobbier? What if..._

Robbie shook his head.

_No_, he thought. _It's only been a year. She can't have forgotten me already._

_She can_, said a voice in his head. _For all you know, she could be mean, stuck-up, ugly, fat..._

Robbie reached Alex's house. He could see light coming from Alex's room. Smiling, he walked a little further and rang Ray's doorbell.

---

Lily was at her house, trying to find something to wear. She held up a green top.

N_o, that won't do,_ she thought. She held up a blue shirt with a pair of faded blue jeans. _That won't do either._

After much thought, she chose the shirt that she wore when she found out that Alex was leaving.

Remembering that moment brought tears to her eyes. Lily was sad for a while when Alex left. But now she was back, and Lily was happy. Alex was an awesome person. Not to mention she was blonde just like her. They were practically the only blonde girls in her school. Hoping that Alex was still the same girl she was before, she did her makeup and hair and walked out the door.

---

The party was in full swing. Ray and Tim had their share of friends and classmates dancing around and enjoying themselves. The popular pretty people and the average freshman partying together…it was something else. The best part was having Lily alongside him.

"Where the hell is she?" he mumbled to himself, looking up at the clock in the living room.

He smiled at a junior, probably a friend of his brother's, as he escaped to the kitchen. On the way, he encountered River Pierce.

"Hey, when's Alex comin'?" he asked curiously.

Ray shrugged as he walked on.

"Ray, there you are!" Lily exclaimed, smiling at him as he entered the kitchen.

Lily moved away from talking with Kyara Lee, one of Alex's former teammates, and started to walk towards Ray, who was trying to make it past the crowd. But before she could get there, she ran into Alex.

"Lily!" the bouncy blonde exclaimed to her fellow blonde friend, intercepting her.

"Alex!" Lily threw her arms around her friend, hugging her tightly. "Oh my gosh, how are you?

"I'm doing awesome," Alex replied with a bright smile, "Hey, where's Ray? I wanna apologize for being late."

"Oh, don't sweat it. The only reason he's here now is because the party is at his house." Lily looked up at Ray, who had begun talking to Chase, another tennis player. There were so many members of the tennis team jammed into the Brennan's house, it made her head spin. "He's over there. I was just making my way over there myself. Care to join me?"

"Yeah!" Alex replied, but before she could say something else, she was swarmed by her former teammates, led by her former doubles partner, River.

"Alex!" River engulfed her in a hug. She'd called him when she got into town, but it had been on her cell phone and the static had gotten hold of her voice. He had had no idea she would be here.

"Argghhhh!" Alex exclaimed playfully. After she was released, she replied, "River!!! I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

While Alex was talking to various people, Ray approached Lily and asked, "Does she seem different to you?"

Lily sighed, looking at Alex. She was wearing something she would've never worn before she'd left and her hair was more bouncy then it ever had been. "I don't know." Lily said, putting her arm around Ray's shoulders. "I almost didn't recognize her when I bumped into her." She smiled warmly, looking at the bubbly blonde. "I only knew because of her eyes."

"Yeah...hopefully things will go right tonight, especially with Robbie. Ever since the big breakup, he hasn't been the same. Maybe Alex can help."

Lily shrugged, moving her arm down beside Ray's and grabbing his hand. "Maybe. But you know, since last Friday, he has not stopped talking about Alex." She had to stop herself from laughing at Ray's startled face. "Don't be so startled. I believe that he's got a slight thing for Alex."

"Speaking of which, where is Robbie? He was here to help set up but he left to pick something up...did he come back?"

"Pick something up? You don't think Tim sent him to the store do you?" Lily asked, thinking it very unlikely that Robbie would go out in the cold for someone else...especially Tim.

"No...he said he needed to get something before the party...I suspect a gift for Alex..." Ray smiled as he added, "Wonder if he got back..."

"A gift for Alex?" Lily said, her eyes drifting back to Alex, who was now chatting with Brett and Adria Stapleton, twins who played mixed doubles on the tennis team, along with River and Alex. "I highly doubt that."

"You never know," Ray replied, then his gaze drifted towards a blonde head and a familiar curly-haired guy and he added, "Check this out! Time for the fireworks, Lil!"

"Ray, I told you, nothing will..." Lily stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Robbie's face.

As Alex left to say hello to Stam Bridges, she turned around and accidentally walked into someone. She looked up and said, "Hey...I'm sorry about that."

"It's...it's okay." Robbie stuttered, clutching the gift in his hands. He waited for her mind to register who it was she'd run into. "Hey, Alex."

Alex recalled the familiar features on the guy's face and said, "Robbie...hey...you...you look good."

He laughed nervously, something he knew she could read. He hadn't changed...that much. "You too. I don't remember you ever being this...dressed up before."

"Blame Adena!" she said with a quick chuckle then she stopped, realizing that Robbie had no idea about that part of her life, despite the e-mails and the IMs. She noted the nerves Robbie was feeling and smiled warmly. "It's a...a new look."

"Well, I can see that. It's different from the casual jock look from before." Robbie said and he watched her grin sheepishly at him. He smiled back, fumbling with the gift in his hands. _Now, or later?_ But the fates seemed to think now was the time, seeing as she had caught sight of it.

"What's that, McGrath?" Alex asked playfully, her eyes zooming into the small package in his hand.

"It's uh...um...well...I thought I'd...pick something...er, up for you..." he stuttered and he watched as she playfully ripped it out of his hands. "Wait!" he tried to stop her, but she was already ripping off the bow and wrapping paper. It hadn't been much, but it had cost him quite a bit of money.

Alex smiled as she discovered the contents of the box. She pulled out a delicate chain, where a small tennis racquet was hanging upside down. She gasped.

"Robbie, this is amazing!" Alex whispered as she put the necklace back in the box and put it in her purse, "You shouldn't have!"

"Well, I missed you at Christmas," Robbie replied nervously, sticking his hands in his pockets and slightly shuffling. She'd always been pretty, but now she was just beautiful. If she knew he'd been planning to break up with Kim because of his feelings for her...

"I...wow..."

Before Alex could say anything more, Bridget's voice came from behind her. "Hey, Robbie..."

Alex turned around and greeted the girl. "You must be Bridget." She hugged the brunette girl. "Hey cuz!" she added over Bridget's shoulder.

Robbie chuckled, as he received a startled look from Bridget, who was looking at him from Alex's shoulder. He looked up to see Travis coming towards them.

Alex finally released Bridget and introduced herself. "I'm Alex."

"Nice to meet you," Bridget replied, and then directed the question at both Alex and Robbie, "How's the party going?"

"It's great!" Alex replied, "It's fun to see everyone again..." She paused then prompted Robbie, "What about you, Robbie?"

"Yeah, same." he replied, looking around. He really was trying to avoid the subject of...well, he really didn't know. Travis, who had joined them now, looked at Robbie weirdly as he wrapped his arms around Bridget.

"Feeling okay, Robbie?" he asked and Robbie scratched the back of his neck as he looked at Travis, trying to wipe the lie from his voice

"Yeah, fine." he said shortly.

Alex and Bridget took the bait, but Travis refused it. Instead, he stared at Robbie with narrowed eyes and Robbie squirmed uncomfortably.

"You know what?" he said, interrupting Alex, who was telling Bridget about Travis's time in London. "I am feeling a bit parched. I think I'm just going to go get some soda."

---

After a couple of hours of non-stop partying, it was 11 o'clock. There was an hour left before the start of the New Year. Alex found herself drifting up to the staircase towards the second floor. She stood, leaning against the wall and observed the people who went from the basement to the main floor and back. She couldn't help but wonder about Robbie's behavior. They had danced, talked and it seemed as though they had finally regained the friendship they once had before he began to date Kim. However, there was something unsettling about the current state of their relationship. The gift...it must have cost him a small fortune. Why did he get it for her?

"Strong." River smiled cheekily as he put a strong hand on the blonde's shoulder. She seemed to freeze for a second before she laughed and threw her elbow back. After knowing this move for quite some time, River easily dodged it before jumping in front of her. "What's up?"

"You wouldn't understand," Alex replied playfully, trying to mask the serious undertone of the subject matter, "It's not the kind of problem you'd have."

"Try me, Goldilocks!" he replied, stopping her from walking past him. She'd become his best friend since they started playing mixed doubles together. He could tell her anything...why couldn't she?

After a moment's hesitation, Alex replied, "I love Cascadia, don't get me wrong, but it gets lonely...and being back in town and seeing Robbie...it reminded me of what I've always wanted."

River blinked hard. "Seeing McGrath?" She attempted a smile, but it just slipped off her face. "What you've always wanted?" He put his hands on both of her shoulders and stared her hard. "I thought you've always wanted Cascadia…"

"Well...it's not just that. I...the year I was here, it wasn't all about Cascadia. For a year, I wasn't just Alex Strong, the tennis star. Hanging out with my cousin and his friends made me feel normal...I wouldn't expect you to understand."

River stared at her with a hard expression and he saw her face fall a bit. "Believe it or not, I do." He moved closer to her, crossing his arms. "Who's my current girlfriend at the moment, Alex?"

Alex bit her lip. Who was he dating? "Okay, point taken. Listen, during my 'normal year', I experienced more than just tennis. I had to deal with my first crush and the fact that I couldn't have him. That's the reason I took off for Cascadia a semester early..."

"And who was it?" River asked. Alex stared at him blankly. "Was it McGrath?"

"Yeah, and who's the girl of your dreams?" Alex countered.

River laughed a deep laugh before fading out and looking down. "Sophie Watson." He was at ease telling her this, even when he knew she would give him a hard time.

"Watson? Ha ha! C'mon, she's not the most talented girl on the team and her footwork? She runs around like she's got two left feet!"

River rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Alex! Care to dance?"

"Sure," Alex replied with a bright smile.

---

Ray and Lily were dancing next to Travis and Bridget when Robbie approached them.

"Hey, guys, where did Alex go?" the curly-haired guy asked his friends.

Lily smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure she just got lost in the crowd," she replied.

"Yeah, that's it, lost in the crowd," Bridget agreed.

"I think I saw her by the staircase to the second floor," Travis added.

Ray suggested, "I'll go check it out...and Robbie, do you mind going into the storage room down in the basement and getting a couple of more bottles of pop?"

"All right."

While Robbie took off, Ray found Alex dancing with River by the staircase. They seemed to have had a heated conversation but were simply just cooling down and dancing.

"May I cut in?" Ray asked.

River stepped aside and said, "Wow, Alex, so many people, so little time!"

"Get lost, River!" she replied playfully with a smirk.

"I'm gonna go hang out with Sophie then…"

After River left, Ray and Alex started to dance together.

"So, did you get a chance to catch up with Robbie?" Ray asked casually.

Alex replied, "Yes, I did. As a matter of fact, he gave me the sweetest Christmas present. A gold chain with a tennis racquet pendant."

Ray's jaw dropped. "Wow...I didn't think he'd actually get it."

"Yeah...late Christmas present."

"That's all?"

"Why? Is there more he's not telling me?"

"No. Just...wondering. Listen, we've run out of drinks. The storage room's got more pop. Do you mind going down there and grabbing a couple of bottles?"

"Of course not, Ray! I'll be right back."

After Alex left, Ray returned to the group and smiled. "I did it!" he exclaimed proudly.

Travis and Ray exchanged high fives while Lily said, "That was genius!"

"They'll be trapped in there and then right before midnight, I will conveniently remember that I still need pop."

"This is evil..." Travis said, "but I like it!"

Bridget chuckled. "This is insane, you guys!"

"You weren't here last year, Bri...but this was a long time coming," Travis explained, "They were worse than Ray and Lily was. Robbie was actually dating someone too so nothing ever happened."

"This could backfire, you know," the brunette said.

"It's a chance we're willing to take," Lily told her.

---

Alex went down to the storage room and entered it. There she found Robbie. She closed the door behind her.

Robbie turned around and said, "Alex! Wait...don't tell me you closed the door!"

Alex frowned. "Why?"

"You can only open this door from the outside!" Robbie exclaimed.

"Oh shit," Alex muttered under her breath, "I'm sorry."

Robbie sighed as he leaned against the wall in front of Alex, who was standing at the door.

Alex sat on the stool in the corner and gazed at Robbie, who seemed to want to say something but was holding back. "I know what you're thinking, McGrath," she stated.

"What's that, Strong?" Robbie asked defensively, slightly taken aback.

"You think I've changed."

Robbie's expression changed from defensive to pensive. "I know you have. Don't try to deny it. Look at you!"

"Yeah, I've changed in my appearance, that's true…but I'm still the same girl I was last year."

"There's something about you…"

Alex shrugged. "I'm still me. What? Did you think I was gonna become a snobby elitist after a year at Cascadia?"

"Maybe." Robbie's voice remained neutral, not revealing any emotion.

"Not a chance, Robbie! The game is my life but I would never let it change me."

Robbie sighed. He managed to avoid Alex's emerald green eyes for ten minutes as he mentally scolded himself for offending her and then tried to figure out what to say next.

Alex sighed. She knew she had changed. She had to change to adapt to her new environment…but she didn't think it would be a drastic change. She decided to song various songs to pass the time…

"_Anytime you feel  
Like you just can't hold on  
Just hold on to my love  
I'll help you be strong_

_But you're so afraid to lose  
And baby I can't reach your heart  
I can't face this world it's keeping us apart"  
_

"Hey!" Robbie exclaimed with a smile, "You remembered…"

Alex nodded as she continued singing. It had been a year ago since they slow danced to Anytime by Kelly Clarkson.

"_And I could be the one to show you  
Everything you missed before  
Just hold on now  
'Cause I could be the one to give you more_

_Anytime you need a love baby I'm on your side  
Just let me be the one that can make it all right  
Anytime you need a love baby you're in my heart  
I could make it all right"_

"How could I forget?" Alex said after stopping at the chorus.

"It was hard to let you go that night," Robbie mused.

Alex turned away from Robbie, not knowing what to say.

"So how's your new life treating you?" Robbie's question reached her ears after a short pause.

"It's treating me pretty well, actually. What can I say? Great coaches, training facilities are awesome…the food's awful, but I can deal with that!"

"That's not what I meant," Robbie said sharply.

Alex smirked. "Oh, you're wondering if I've replaced my best friends yet…the answer is no." She paused then added, "I couldn't replace you if I tried."

Robbie chose to take the comment as if she was referring to Ray and Lily as well as him. He went on casually, "So then, your new doubles partner…is he better than River?"

"Uh…Squib's got some…issues…but he's got game when he decides to bring it. It's not the same though."

"And Adena, your roommate?"

"She's cool…"

Robbie nodded and there was another moment of silence before the door opened and Ray immerged.

"Hey you guys! Did the door close on you or something?"

"Something like that," Robbie replied with a neutral expression.

Alex handed Ray the bottles of soda he wanted, slugged him and went out into the basement family room where everyone was dancing, waiting to see the ball drop. Behind her, Robbie and Ray were standing there, along with Bridget, Travis and Lily.

"C'mon, bro, there's two minutes left," Ray said encouragingly to Robbie, "Tell her how you feel!"

Robbie shrugged as he started to approach Alex. He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn around.

"Robbie…hey…"

"I'm sorry about earlier," Robbie said with an apologetic look.

"All right, one minute, you guys!" Ray yelled out after he turned off the music and turned on the TV, echoing Tim's announcement on the main floor.

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Alex smiled brightly and replied, "Don't even worry about it! You have nothing to be sorry about." She wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him closer to her.

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Lily smiled at her boyfriend. "So, Ray, did your party go exactly perfectly right?"

Glancing at Robbie and Alex, Ray replied, "Yeah, it went exactly perfectly right, Lily."

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Travis had his arms around Bridget. He couldn't begin to describe how good it felt to hold her in his arms. They didn't even have to talk…being close was enough. He was thankful for a second chance even though he didn't think he deserved one. Hopefully, it would last longer this time…

"There's no one I'd rather be with tonight," Bridget said with a smile.

Travis smiled. "I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world!"

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Alex found her gaze drifting towards Sophie and River. She had always been against dating a teammate…but they were a cute couple. The brunette seemed to hold her friend's attention for more than two minutes and she figured it was a good thing River was into her for her looks and not her tennis skills.

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River looked into his teammate Sophie's eyes with a smile.

4

Ray and Lily smiled at each other too.

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Travis released Bridget and they faced each other, also smiling.

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_This is it, McGrath, it's go time! _

Robbie leaned in closer and closer and closer until his nose touched Alex's.

1

As soon as Robbie's soft lips touched hers, Alex closed her eyes. _Oh man, if I'm dreaming, please don't wake me up!_

After a few seconds of kissing, the pair pulled away.

"Happy New Year, Robbie!" Alex exclaimed with her trademark million-watt smile.

"I love you, Alex."

Alex's smile remained bright. She put her finger up to his lips to silence him. "Let's enjoy the party. There's plenty of time to talk tomorrow."

Smiling back at her, Robbie nodded, and as soon as the music came back on, they continued to dance like they did earlier.

Nearby, Ray was grinning from ear to ear as he danced with Lily.

Lily was beaming with pride. "There's **_one_** crazy plan didn't totally backfire on you, Ray," she quipped.

"Hey, my plans are genius!" Ray shot back, feigning indignation. He quickly smiled again to show that he wasn't really hurt.

Next to Ray and Lily, Travis and Bridget were dancing too.

"It looks like your cousin's getting her happy ending," Bridget commented.

Travis nodded. "She deserves it."


End file.
